Bravo 1 & Charlie 1, Day 3: Diving and Thriving
Written by Mia Altenau
Edited by Meredith Evridge
A distant thunderstorm at midnight made for an interesting night as the campers moved from their hammocks down below, avoiding the rain. However, the sun still rose to calm waters and winds. Campers inhaled eggs and bagels for breakfast — the protein and fat would be thoroughly needed because day two was packed!
By nine o’clock, everyone was on shore. Open Water divers practiced their skills just off of the beach while Advanced Open Water Divers headed out to explore the depthss. Campers on shore quickly hiked up to a helicopter landing pad overlooking Norman Island’s stunning, teal bays. Kids and staff joined together for an energetic game of Where the Wind Blows and Ultimate Rock, Paper, Scissors, before returning to the beach to swim and enjoy virgin pina coladas. Once the group was reunited with the divers, all campers returned to their boats for a quick lunch of grilled cheeses before separating again.
Next up? Diving and snorkeling at The Indians rock formation, and around some caves as well! Despite some nerves about encountering jellyfish, sea life was kind and colorful. Vibrant parrotfish and blue tangs stood out against purple and orange coral, and spiky black and white sea urchins were admired. A turtle was even spotted! Happy and sunkissed, campers returned to boats a second time that day to shower and wolf down a dinner of mashed potatoes, sauteed peppers and onions, and barbeque chicken and pineapple. However, the day was still far from over. Students quickly cleaned the boat as the sun set over a baby blue and peach sky, energized by their excitement for the day’s final event: a night dive! With charged flashlights and a tight grip on a buddy, divers descended to depths once more, and peered at the strange activities of the nocturnal corals and creatures. Kids who stayed on boats enjoyed the tail end of sunset in a hammock with a good book or scintillating conversation. Finally, the day came to a close with a brief boat meeting. Cookies were enjoyed for dessert, and all crawled into bed for the night.
